The classic Maduro cigar wrappers are exquisitely dark wrapper leaves with a delightfully rich taste. Various flavors range from prominent notes of chocolate to something more nuanced with multi-layered notes of dried fruit, white pepper, cocoa, and earth.
The Maduro cigar, which means ‘dark’, ranges from the shades of dark brown to midnight black.
Despite the darker color, this does not always represent the strength of the smoke. Maduro’s are naturally sweet and burn for prolonged periods of time so that you can enjoy every peaceful moment of flavor.
What are Maduro cigar wrappers?
Maduro cigar wrappers are high-quality wrappers made for a unique flavor profile. Compared to other cigar wrappers, Maduro’s typically take long months of extensive manufacturing. This longer time period is due to the lengthy fermentation process required for darker wrappers.
Maduro’s are unique in how they are submitted to more sunshine throughout the growing phase. Extra sunshine combined with a long fermentation process leaves the final product with a slightly darker color variation.
The Maduro carries many different shades and flavors:
- Colorado – The lightest shade of the Maduros, the Colorado is smooth yet spicy, offering the smoker an intense and robust smoke.
- Oscuro – Presenting a bold dark brown to jet black color, the Oscuro carries notes of chocolate, white pepper, cocoa, and hints of fruit.
- Maduro – The typical Maduro is identifiable by the deep shade of brown. This dark chocolate gem, gleaming with oil, is packed with notes of chocolate, coffee, and signature spice flavors.
MADURO WRAPPER ORIGINS
Unlike most other wrappers, the Maduro is not defined by a country of origin or a specific leaf. Maduro is Spanish for ‘pure’ and is recognizable by the darker color of the cigar.
The Maduro was created approximately 40 years ago as an experimental wrapper. Cigar manufacturers began experimenting with new and older fermentation methods when processing the wrapper leaves. The experiment began as there was an ever-growing demand for different consumer tastes, and suppliers wanted to try and help.
After this experiment, manufacturers slowly found that not all tobacco varieties can deal with a large amount of heat. After discovering this, the Maduro wrapper experiment was successful. The name was set, and Maduro’s started to become one of the best-selling cigar wrappers around the world.
MAKING MADURO CIGARS
Maduro leaves are typically thicker than other cigar wrappers and receive more direct sun exposure. The flower is removed from the plant and the energy is channeled to fatten the leaves, ready for harvest. During this process, the plant produces more natural oils and sugars, which contribute to the unique taste of this unreal wrapper leaf.
As with all tobacco, the leaves closer to the top of the plant have the potential to create smoke with more intense flavor and strength. The leaves darkened by sun exposure start to create the classic dark Maduro. The lower-down leaves are more on the mellow side of things and are less dark.
Once ready, the leaves will be thick and sun-ripened enough to cope with the next step. Leaves then become harvested and prepared for the long fermenting process, using higher temperatures to become a true Maduro.
The extra fermenting time is required to turn the starch in the leaves into sugar, creating a sweeter flavor and a much richer and smoother finish of the leaves.
Once completing this process, the ready tobacco is stored in two-ton pylons and left alone for months until the leaves develop other exquisite aromas and flavors. Tobacco destined for a higher temperature may go through this process two or three times with the aim of developing a much darker leaf.